NFL owners on Tuesday approved new playoff OT rules, ensuring postseason games cannot end in OT until both sides have the opportunity to score.
The Colts and Eagles had proposed this offseason to guarantee possessions to both teams in OT games, but this new rule will only take effect in playoff games. Previously, the first touchdown scored in OT could end the game, with both sides only getting a chance to possess the ball if the first team in possession failed to score a TD. Now, should the first team score a TD, the second team will still have an opportunity to possess the ball, and must match the other team’s points to extend OT.
Since 2010, there have been 12 postseason games that went to overtime. The team with the ball first has won 10 of those games and 7 of those wins came after a TD on the first possession